CONSTRUCTION QUALITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEM CONQUAS â

INTRODUCTION

Quality workmanship is important in today's construction industry. The high quality achieved in building projects ensures future marketability and enhances the confidence of clients.

The Construction Quality Assessment System (CONQUAS â), introduced in Singapore since 1989, serves as a standard assessment system on the quality of building projects. A defacto national yardstick for the industry, CONQUAS â has been periodically fine-tuned to keep pace with changes in technology and quality demands of a more sophisticated population. In 1998, BCA introduced a number of new features to CONQUAS â resulting in the launch of CONQUAS â 21. Such refinements make CONQUAS â scoring more comprehensive and customer oriented. The latest CONQUASâ 8th edition was launched on 31 October 2012 to promote design and materials which support both high quality and productivity.

By using CONQUAS â as a standardized method of quality assessment, developers are able to use the CONQUAS â score to set targets for contractors to achieve and also assess the quality of the finished building.

Today, CONQUAS â is widely recognised and also accepted internationally as a benchmarking tool for quality. Indeed, countries like UK and Hong Kong have successfully adapted CONQUAS â to their construction industries. CONQUAS â is now a registered trademark in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong SAR, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and India.

SCOPE OF CONQUAS â

Each component is further divided into different items for assessment. The sum of the 3 components will give the CONQUAS â score for the project.

The building is assessed based primarily on workmanship standards through site inspection. The assessment is done throughout the construction process for Structural and M&E Works and on the completed building for Architectural Works.

The assessment also includes tests on the materials and the functional performance of selected services and installation. These tests helps to safeguard the interest of building occupants in relation to safety, comfort and aesthetic defects, which surface only after sometime.

CATEGORISATION OF PROJECT

In CONQUAS â, the weightages for Structural, Architectural and M&E works are allocated according to four categories of buildings.Details on the weightages under the respective categories of buildings can be found at CONQUAS manuals- 7th & 8th editions .

The weightage system, which is aimed at making the CONQUAS â score objective in representing the quality of a building, is a compromise between the cost proportions of the structural, architectural and M&E works components in the various buildings and their aesthetic consideration.

The CONQUAS â score of a building is the sum of points awarded to the three components in each category of buildings.

SAMPLING

As it is impractical to assess all elements, CONQUAs â uses a sampling system for the assessment. The sampling system, which is based on the size of the building, will ensure that the assessment adequately represents the entire building.

ASSESSMENT APPROACH

The samples shall be distributed as uniformly as possible throughout the construction stages. The scoring will be done on the works that are inspected for the first time. Rectification and correction carried out after the assessment will not be re-scored. The objective of this practice is to encourage "doing things right the first time".

BENEFITS

Allows firm to benchmark its workmanship quality on an international basis.

Gives that extra competitive edge to firms that consistently deliver projects with high CONQUAS â score.

Good CONQUAS â score track record serves to enhance the image of the firm and ensures future marketability.